I’m excited about today’s book review, Mother & Son: the Respect Effect.
Dr. Emmergson Eggerichs “love and respect” concepts deeply changed my life through his first two books, Love & Respect and Love and Respect in the Family.
When I saw that Dr. Eggerichs also wrote a book on love and respect for mothers and sons, I knew I had to read it.
You see, I’m a “boy mom” with three young sons.
Respect is not my native tongue, although I’ve been working on “respect talk” as a wife for many years (and let me just say, I had a looooong way to go).
I wanted to know what Emmerson Eggerichs had to say about how a mom can apply this respect concept to raising sons.
I haven’t been disappointed!
I’m actually not completely through Respect Effect, since this is the kind of book I have to move through slowly so I can “get” it.
All the chapters I’ve read so far have been deeply enlightening.
Although Mother & Son: the Respect Effect stands alone as a resource for moms, it does build on Dr. Eggerichs’ framework of “love and respect,” which he built in his first book by that name.
(You can check it out right here. If you haven’t already read Love and Respect, then I highly recommend that you do! )
Here’s a video by Dr. Eggerichs, conveying his message for Mother & Sons: the Respect Effect:
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Respect Effect:
God expects mothers to instruct their sons. Nevertheless, God does not expect a mother to lecture her son on being respectful while delivering her message with a spirit of contempt for him. She must be an instructor who possesses an attitude of respect in keeping with her dignity as a woman.”
-quote from chapter three, “A Game Plan”
Respect is a need in the male soul, not only in your husband but also in your little boy. The man is in the boy.”
-quote from chapter four, “Seeing the Man in the Boy”
Part of the joy of mothering your son is discovering along with him the talents and passions God has instilled in him to use as he fulfills his desire to work and achieve. Keep your eyes and ears open to the fields your son explores as he gets older. Watch those places in which he shows in intrigue.”
-quote from chapter five, “Conquest”
If we do not teach girls about the power of their disrespect and how that shuts down the heart of a boy… we will not motivate the boy to hear us when we coach him on how to conduct himself toward women.”
-quote from Appendix: “Daughters, Adult Women, and Mommy Issues”
Purchase Mother and Son: the Respect Effect right here.
Read more “mom book” reviews by Kristy right here.
As a Christian mom, I agree with Dr. Eggerichs that this “respect” issue is widely ignored in most church circles.
As a young wife, I had no idea what it meant or sounded like to respect my husband (although I mentally agreed with the theory of respect).
As a mom in my mid-thirties, I’m not quite as in the dark about respect as I was as a young wife.
But I still feel urged to grow into my capacity of knowledge and experience in this area.
Not for my sake, really, although I do want to be known as a respectful and gracious woman.
But for the sake of my three precious sons.
When I look at my three little guys, I long to cultivate an emotional oxygen in our home that breathes life and health into their souls.
I also want them to know what respect feels, looks and sounds like; not just with how I relate to their Dad, but with them as well.
You can read more reviews and purchase Mother and Son: the Respect Effect at Amazon.com, or look for it at a local book store.
I’d love to know-
Have you ever read this book?
Are you a Boy Mom too?
Here’s to living & loving well,
xoxo,
Kristy